Hot Smoked Salmon, Soba and Asian Greens Salad



Soy sauce, Alaskan king salmon, lemon, mirin, tatsoi, soba, ginger, 5-spice powder and raw sugar.
Making the "broth" for the noodles -- the key ingredient is Chinese five spice powder, which is made with fennel seeds, star anise, ginger, cloves and cinnamon.
Salt, sugar, five spice powder, and soy sauce make up the brine. Just add water!
After dissolving the salt and sugar, we added the salmon.
Our Rube Goldberg stove-top smoker: a wok, aluminum foil and a cake rack.
A "drip pan" for the salmon, made with foil.
Amanda folds two sheets of foil together to make a lid for the wok.
After sealing it, you poke a thermometer through the foil and carefully prop it so you can keep a close eye on the temperature inside the smoker. cheese1227 says to keep it at 145 to 150 degrees...
Merrill cooks the soba, which takes much less time than pasta.
Merrill peels the skin from the ginger using a teaspoon -- works like a charm!
Then she grated it to a pulp.
The ginger goes into the broth along with soy sauce, mirin, lemon juice, sugar and sesame oil.
You stay on your side! No, you stay on your side!
Rinsing the noodles -- it's a good idea to dress the noodles right after straining, otherwise they stick togehter.
The salmon is bronzed and fully smoked.
Author Notes: I got hooked on hot-smoked salmon while living in England where my corner fishmonger sold me some of his personally recommended local stuff. I had to limit myself to buying this only once a week. It was sweet and salty, firm and creamy all at the same time. The “hot” here doesn’t mean spice. It’s the temperature at which the smoking process occurs (between 145-150 degrees Fahrenheit), which fully cooks the fish, giving it a light pink silken internal texture a tawny, smoky skin. I used it in maki rolls, with asparagus and hollandaise and in my daughter’s lunchbox. And I concocted this Asian-inspired noodle salad which has a good contrast of flavor, texture and color.
You may be able to find good hot smoked salmon where you live and by all means use it to make this salad as a very easy, very cool dinner on a hot night. I, unfortunately can’t get my hands on the good stuff in Central PA, so I’ve learned to hot smoke my own salmon for this recipe using a stovetop smoking contraption involving my wok, a bunch of tin foil and the lid of my lobster pot, a trick adeptly demonstrated by former New York Times Magazine food writer and current Chow.com food editor Jill Santopietro. The link to her video is: http://tmagazine.blogs.... - cheese1227 —cheese1227
Food52 Review: Smoking sounds so intimidating and time consuming, right? We're here to tell you it's not. You don't even need a stove top smoker. We used Amanda's wok, lined it with foil and set the fish on a round cake rack set above the wood chips. After sealing the wok with more foil, we simply turned on the burner and let it smoke away. (It does help to have a good fan above your stove.) The salmon, which is brined before smoking, emerges from the smoker taut and bronzed, infused with five spice powder, salt, sugar and soy sauce. You can also broil or grill the salmon if you want to skip setting up the smoker -- you just won't get that rich woodsy flavor. Then it's up to you to either leave the salmon whole or break it into bits to mix with soba noodles, tatsoi and a kicky ginger dressing. - A&M —The Editors
Serves 4 for a starter and 2 for a main course
Hot smoked salmon
-
1/2
pound fillet of salmon (I used wild caught sockeye, because the color is lovely.)
-
1/4
cup cup kosher salt
-
1/3
cup turbinado sugar
-
3
tablespoons soy sauce
-
2
teaspoons Chinese Five Spice
- Cut salmon fillet lengthwise in two even pieces.
- Combine salt, sugar, say sauce and Chinese five spice with 1 quart of warm water and stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Let fish sit in this brine for one hour at room temperature.
- Remove fish from brine, dry it completely and place on a rack. Put rack uncovered in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
- Using a stove-top smoker, smoke the salmon for about 8 minutes at a temperature in the range of 145-50 degrees. Allow salmon to cool completely.
Soba noodle salad
-
8
ounces buckwheat soba noodles
-
Juice of one lemon
-
4
tablespoons Soy Sauce
-
3
tablespoons Mirin
-
2
teaspoons finely grated ginger
-
2
teaspoons white sugar
-
1
teaspoon sesame oil
-
1/3
cup warm water, more if necessary. You want this to be somewhat thin as it’s more of a broth than a dressing.
-
2
cups small tat soi leaves, whole
- Prepare the soba noodles as directed on package. Rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Whisk together lemon juice, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, sugar and sesame oil. Add water to desired strength. Toss about half of the dressing with noodles.
- Divide tat soi leaves into bowls and mix with the dressed noodles.
- Either leave the salmon whole and set it atop the noodles or break it into bite-sized pieces on top of the salad.
- Drizzle the remaining dressing over the completed salad and serve immediately.
- Your Best Salmon Contest Finalist!
Showing out of comments
almost 2 years ago Kaja1105
I've been making this recipe for a few years, and I'm not sure if I've commented on it before, but it is off-the-hook delicious! I have a friend who requests this every year for her birthday. This is the raison d'ȇtre for my stovetop smoker.
almost 2 years ago cheese1227
That made my day!! Thanks for letting me know that it brings so much pleasure to your table!
over 2 years ago Chef Devaux
Smoked fish, I approve !
almost 4 years ago Kevin French
Made this last night and the wife and kids loved it. Wife said, "This is restaurant quality". Hot smoked the salmon on my grill offsetting the charcoal and a using a chunk of cherry wood. Prep was easy but the flavors were big. Served this close to room temp, but may chill it next time to experience this cold.
about 5 years ago mvangraaf
What wine(s) would you serve with this dish for company?
over 3 years ago Kaja1105
It is delicious with a crisp, dry white. We've also enjoyed it with cold sake.
over 3 years ago cheese1227
Excellent recommendations!
over 6 years ago Rivka
Thinking of trying my hand at this lovely recipe this weekend, but wondering if it would be tasty served cold. Any thoughts?
over 6 years ago cheese1227
Oh most definitely. I love this cold. I love most Asian salads cold.
almost 7 years ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
I'm gearing up to try this . . . what kind of wood chips should I buy for this purpose? (I don't own any, and don't remember ever having bought them, so I don't have a favorite.) Many thanks. ;o)
over 6 years ago cheese1227
Sorry AJ, I just today saw this as comments on my recipes have been going into the spam filter. I just used oak, actually.
over 7 years ago FewPinkJasmine
I like to eat salmon and noodles.
This combination is great!
I'm hungry ~
over 7 years ago foodie-pretense
I made this yesterday subbing lightly stir fried yu choi for the tai soi; it was excellent.
almost 8 years ago Rhonda35
Our little town has a new "European-style" market house next to our weekend farmer's market. One of the vendors sells smoked fish and their salmon smoked with Chinese 5-spice and green tea is out of this world! If I'm feeling lazy, I will buy some and try serving it this way. Also, in response to some of the questions about smoking techniques, I have smoked fish and chicken on my electric stovetop using a disposable foil pan (actually, I used 2 to double the thickness), a small cake rack and aluminum foil. This works on a grill, too.
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
Lucky you!! I was talking with a chef about smoking fish over tea leaves. He tells me that is a Japanese technique. I have to do some research on what kind of tea leaves and how many. If I find that info out, I'll pass it along.
almost 8 years ago AlBurns
Congratulations jupon receipt of the editor's pick. Judt learning to enjoy smoked salmon and will tru this recipe ASAP. Great picture, as well.
almost 8 years ago dymnyno
My farmer's market fishmonger has wonderful smoked salmon each week. But, what is tat soi?
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
It's a variety of Asian cabbage that is slightly peppery. I get it here in Central PA because it's a hearty spring crop and all the farmers at my market grow it -- and sell it. I've also seen it at Asian groceries. If you can't find it, you could use baby spinach or I've made it with pea shoots as well.
almost 8 years ago Sugartoast
This looks amazing. I logged on this morning to look up the porchetta recipe but couldn't resist the photo and had to check the recipe immediately! Thank you so much, can't wait to try this. Also, just want to say I LOVE Jill Santopietro's little videos - wish she could have her own food show, she's hilarious and informative!
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
Excellent! Maybe we should start a Jill fan club on FB....
almost 8 years ago Lashburns
What a beautiful photograph! The recipe sounds wonderful and tasty.
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
I would imagine if youcan get the electric wok hot enough to do a proper stirfry than it could get hot enough to smoke. Good luck. Let me know how it turns out!
almost 8 years ago melissav
This looks awesome. I have an electric wok. Do you think it would work in that?
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
Hi Melissa,
THe comment above was actually meant for you.
almost 8 years ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Cannot wait to try this. I've never smoked anything this way, so I'm thrilled to see that it is so easy. (And fortunately, I have a quite powerful hood over my stove.) I cannot believe, sometimes, how much I learn, day to day, just visiting food52! Many thanks to the editors, and to cheese1227 for this amazing recipe. ;o)
almost 8 years ago mrslarkin
Congrats, cheese! This is in my saved file. (I need to get a wok!)
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
Thanks mrslarkin!
almost 8 years ago Aliwaks
Sounds delish.. do you think it would work on a gas grill rather than stove top??
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
I think you could easily do this on the grill in on of those disposable roasting pans covered very tightly with aluminum foil. Let me know how it goes.
almost 8 years ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
I loved the way this recipe sounded when you first posted it. Unfortunately, like moneymom, my fan is terrible---but I wish I could taste it! (maybe on the grill outdoors?)Congratulations!
almost 8 years ago gabrielaskitchen
You have my vote! The Mandarin Oriental New York makes a very similar dish that is to die for! Their miso glazed salmon with soba noodles is topped with daikon sprouts and shitake mushrooms. It's a really great dish for dinner parties because it's served at room temperature and looses nothing from it.
Thanks for the recipe...I can't afford to spend the money on a dinner out to the Mandarin anytime soon ;) (PS love Jill Santopietro too!)
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
Jill is now an editor with Chow. You can follow her writing there. But I don't think I've seen any videos. Perhaps she's got bigger digs in SF and is still figuring out a new angle for a show.
about 7 years ago nutcakes
Oh would I love the recipe for that particular miso glazed dish, gabriela.
almost 8 years ago TasteFood
I discovered hot smoked salmon when we lived in Denmark. Now it's a favorite. Great recipe!
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
I'm not sure why we don't have more hot smoked fish in the US. Let's start a trend!
almost 8 years ago Loves Food Loves to Eat
Growing up on the Columbia River, I always had tons of smoked salmon my dad made, but I never knew I could easily recreate it in a wok, stovetop! Recipe sounds great, and thanks for the wok tip, A&M!
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
Good luck with the smoking. Once you get every thing sealed up tight, it's a very simple process.
almost 8 years ago monkeymom
congrats cheese1227! I can't wait to try this...at kaykay's house because my fan is terrible.
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
Thanks. If you watch Jill's video (link posted in the head notes), it doesn't get all that smokey in her apartment. Nor in my kitchen. That is, until you unseal the tin foil. And if you can do that on a window sill or a fire escape, then you could have no need for a good fan.
almost 8 years ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a food preserving expert and author of Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry: Recipes and Techniques for Year-Round Preserving.
Wow. This looks wonderful. (I hope it's a tie this week, Christine!)
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
Right. How about we lobby for a bi-partisan, win-win situation?? Salmon, is, afterall one of the super foods, no?
almost 8 years ago WinnieAb
This looks absolutely fantastic! Can't wait to make it, and congrats on being a finalist!
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
Thanks! I hope you like it as much as I do.
almost 8 years ago healthierkitchen
Just came across hot smoked salmon at Costco. "Honey Smoked Salmon" Company. Looks beautiful but it's farmed Atlantic.
almost 8 years ago arielleclementine
this sounds wonderful! thanks for sharing :)
almost 8 years ago Kristen Miglore
Kristen is the Creative Director of Food52
The ginger (step 2) seems to be missing from the salad ingredient list -- let us know how much and we can add it in for you. Thanks!
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
SOOO sorry. It's 2 tsp of finely grated ginger and 8 oz of soba noodles.
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
Oh, no. And I can't seem to add the 8 oz of buckwheat soba noodles to the list. Is there some way to add those in now that the contest is closed?
almost 8 years ago Merrill Stubbs
Merrill is a co-founder of Food52.
We'll add them for you -- no worries!
almost 8 years ago testkitchenette
I heart this and would love some on my bagel this Sunday!
almost 8 years ago Merrill Stubbs
Merrill is a co-founder of Food52.
I think you left the soba noodles off the ingredient list!
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
It works well with smoked trout as well. We did some trout in school last week and a filet only takes like 3 minutes in the smoker.
almost 8 years ago healthierkitchen
I'm going to have to try this - it sounds great!
almost 8 years ago cheese1227
Isn't it? I loved that series and was said to see the Times discontinue it.
almost 8 years ago mrslarkin
THAT is a cool video! This sounds very yummy.
Showing 55 out of 55 comments